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How to Apply Contour Eye Shadow for Oval Eyes

Step 1

Find your crease. Since the whole trick to this look is to define that one strong line, making sure you get the crease right is crucial. Close your eyes and press on the lid of one. Feel upward as the lid hugs your eyeball. Where that hugging stops is where the creases are.

Step 2

Apply your base eye shadow. Run a soft-bristle eye shadow brush through a base color. Sweep the shadow from the inner corner to the outer corner of your upper eyelid, just below the crease. If a little shadow gets in the crease itself, it's OK. Repeat on the other eye.

Step 3

Apply your contour eye shadow. The contour shadow is the darkest color. This is where you see your oval eyes really pop into an elegant shape. Brush your contour eye shadow onto a medium-bristle eye shadow brush and wipe the shadow in a single, broad stroke that follows the crease and just above it. Using one motion helps define your eyes beautifully. Repeat on the other eye.

Step 4

Apply your highlighter eye shadow. Use the soft-bristle brush to dust a little bit of a highlighter eye shadow from the halfway point of your lid to your brow bone. If your eyes are very wide-set, you may want to stipple or dot a little highlighter into the innermost corner. Repeat on the other eye.

Step 5

Apply mascara. Curl your lashes with an eyelash curler. Stroke on two coats of mascara for daytime and up to five for nighttime. If you want to continue to show off that contouring, stroke extra mascara on the outer corners of the lashes. Repeat on the other eye.